Oscillating flaker knife



Jan. 15, 1935. HORTON 1,987,852

OSGILLATING FLAKER KNIFE Filed Oct. '7, 1950 4. 7 I71 2767? Z0!" 4 l L YMA/v #0270 Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES OFFICE QSCILLATING FLAKER KNIFE f Lyman Horton, Buffalo, Y., 'as'signer' an tional Aniline and Chemical Company, Inc.; New York, N. I a corporation of New York Application October 7, 1930, seri51 ii '.'4at,953 '6 Claims. (c1.

This invention relates to improvements in flaker machines, and more particularly to the knife or doctor thereof.

This invention has for one of its objects an 5 improvement in the construction and operation of flaker knives whereby wear on the knife is distributed evenly along its length and whereby the knife is kept sharpened. Other objects willbe apparent from a"consideration of the following description anddrawings forming a part thereof.

The present invention accomplishes these objects by providing an apparatus having the fea--v tures of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts set forth in the embodiment of the invention hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The scope-of the invention is indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a flaking machine embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view with the drum removed; and Figure 4 is a view of a detail.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 indicates the frame of a flaking machine upon which is suitably mounted a flaking drum 2. Mounted upon one side of the frame of the machine is a driven shaft 3 mounted in suitable bearings 4, and having a beveled gear 5 secured thereto. The beveled gear 5 coacts with the pinion 6 which is secured to a shaft '7 mounted in bearings 8 and 9 suitably supported from the frame of the machine. At the opposite end of shaft 7 is mounted a disk crank 10. A knife 11 of suitable construction, shown in the drawing as a thin steel blade having a substantially straight scraping edge, is mounted in a suitable holder 12 which in turn is secured to a carrier bar 13 which extends outwardly from the knife at both ends. The carrier bar 13 is adapted to slide in ways 13' mounted upon the frame of the machine at both ends. The ways 13 comprise base blocks 14 bolted to the frame of the machine by bolts 15. The base blocks 14 have a dovetail portion 15' cut out to accommodate the dovetail tenons 16' of the bearings 16. Suitable gibs 17 are bolted to the bearings 16 and may be adjusted by bolts 18 to take up wear of the bearings. It will be seen that ways 13 in bear- 50 ings 16 form guides to permit controlled longitudinal movement of the scraper blade and the tenons 16 sliding in the dovetail ways 15' of blocks 14 form additional guides to permit controlled movement of the blade in a direction transversely 55 of the drum. Secured to the bearings 16 are the rods 19 which are-"threaded at their outer ends 20" and carryi-ai compression spring 20. The threaded ends of therods'pass through stops or abutments 22 on thefrarne. Nuts 23threaded on the ends of therods limit the outward move- 5 ment of the bearing blocks '16 which carry the knife.

' At the end of the supporting bar 13 is inserted a ball 23' forming part of the universal joint 24 of a connecting'rod 25; "In thecrank 10 is also 10 inserted a 'ball 26 forming part of the universal joint 2'7 of the connecting rod 25. The universal joint connection between the supportingbar 13, connecting rod 25, and the crank lfllpermits the knife to be moved longitudinally of the drum and 15 also permits the knife to bemoved crosswise to disengage 'itxfrom'the surface of the drum.

In operation the drum 1 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow. In its revolution it passes into a suitable pan containing material 20 to be flaked, a film of which is picked up by the drum and carried around. When the film reaches the knife blade 11 it is cut off the drum. The drum 2 is driven by a main shaft 28 from which the gear 5 is also driven by a belt 29 passing over 25 the pulleys 30 and 31. The rotation imparted to the pinion 6 by coaction with the gear 5 is converted into oscillating motion by the crank 10 and connecting rod 25 which connects the crank 10 with the knife bar 13. It is thus apparent that 30 the knife will be oscillated longitudinally at the same time that it contacts with the drum.

The oscillating movement of the knife against the drum will assist the knife in cutting off the film of material from the surface of the drum and at the same time will tend to maintain a keen edge on the knife. When it is necessary to replace the knife the nut 23 on the rod 19 is threaded outwardly whereby the spring is permitted to move the bearing 16 away from the 40 drum carrying with it the supporting bar 13 and knife 11, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The knife may then be replaced, and then by drawing up the nuts on the threaded rods 19 the knife may be readily repositioned for op- 45 eration. The universal connections between the connecting rod 25 andthe crank 10 and the connecting rod and the supporting bar 13 permit movement of the knife out of line with the crank, so that the knife can be positively and accurately adjusted without interfering with its oscillating action.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination comprising a flaker drum, 55

a knife for scraping the surface of the drum, means to oscillate the knife longitudinally, yielding means to push the knife away from the drum, and positive means for drawing the knife against the drum.

2. In a flaking machine the combination comprising a flaker drum, a scraper knife carrier having a scraper knife thereon and arranged for oscillating movement longitudinally of the drum, a crank, a connecting rod universally connected to the crank and the knife carrier, means to rotate the crank for oscillating the knife and carrier, an adjustable guide for the knife carrier arranged for moving the carrier toward and away from the drum, and positive means for holding the knife against the flaker drum.

3. In a flaking machine comprising a rotating a drum and a scraper for removing material from said drum, the improvement comprising the combination of a scraper blade, means for mounting said scraper'blade in proximity to said drum, said mounting means, comprising guide means arranged to permit controlled movement of said scraper blade longitudinally of said drum and additional guide means arranged to permit controlled movement of said blade toward and away from said drum, and means for imparting an oscillating movement to said blade longitudinally of said drum.

4. In a flaking machine comprising a rotating drum and a scraper for removing material from said drum, the improvement comprising the combination of a scraper blade, a mounting for said scraper blade, said mounting comprising guide means arranged to permit movement of said scraper blade longitudinally of said drum and to prevent movement thereof toward and away from said drum and additional guide means arranged to permit controlled movement of said blade transversely of said drum, means acting on said mounting for holding said blade against said drum, and means for oscillating said blade, said means comprising a drive shaft and a universal connection between said drive shaft and said mounting means.

5. In a flaking machine comprising a rotating drum and a scraper for removing material from said drum, the improvement comprising the combination of a scraper blade having a substantially straight scraping edge, a bar for mounting said scraper blade, a guide for mounting said bar to slide longitudinally of said drum, a bearing for mounting said guide to slide toward and away from said drum, yielding means for holdi-ng said guide away from said drum, adjustable means for counteracting said yielding means, and means for imparting oscillating movement to said bar.

6. In a flaking machine comprising a scraper knife, the combination comprising a carrier for the scraper knife arranged for oscillating movement transversely of the direction of movement of the material to be flaked, a crank, a connecting rod universally connected to the crank and the knife carrier, means to rotate the crank for oscillating the knife carrier, a guide for the knife carrier arranged for movement of the knife into and out of contact with the material to be flaked, yielding means to push said guide in a direction tending to withdraw the knife from contact with the material to be flaked, and positive means to push said guide in the opposite direction.

LYMAN HORTON. 

